Anne Herries - The Scandalous Lord Lanchester

Watching her, he was aware of how lovely she was, the perfection of her figure and the enchanting way she held her head to one side when she teased or laughed at one. She was, he thought, a beautiful, sensual woman and his pulses quickened at the sight of her looking up at her companion. Something must be done. She was too vulnerable to unscrupulous rogues, though he had no real reason to think of Grainger as a rogue.

‘Are you well acquainted with Lieutenant Grainger?’ his host asked. ‘Lady Fanshawe seems on good terms with him. She looks happier than she has for a while.’

‘I was not aware that she knew him,’ Andrew said. ‘I had not seen him for years, though I remember that his regiment joined ours in Spain. He was a new recruit then …’ He turned to look at Lord Hubert. ‘Do you know him at all?’

‘We have met once or twice. I am not well acquainted with him.’

‘I am in similar case myself, though we had mutual friends in Spain.’

‘I know his aunt and uncle,’ Lord Hubert continued. ‘Very good sort of people. Sylvia likes them—and I usually like my wife’s friends. I dare say we shall see quite a bit of them while we are here. If Grainger and Mariah were to take to one another, it would be the very thing.’

Andrew scarcely heard him. He had found the younger man pleasant enough company earlier in the day, but now his hackles rose as he went out of the open doors and heard Mariah laugh. It seemed an age since he’d heard her laugh in just that way—and, looking at her standing there in the moonlight with the young lieutenant, he was struck once more by her beauty. She was a fine, spirited woman, perhaps a little reckless at times. Her restless nature would lead her astray without a strong hand to guide her.

Mariah became aware of Andrew as he reached them. She turned her head, a smile on her lips. ‘Andrew, how are you? Lieutenant Grainger was telling me about a visit that the Regent paid to his regiment, when they were stationed in Brighton.’

‘Indeed?’ Andrew looked down his patrician nose. ‘Prinny enjoys playing soldiers. I dare say you made him an honorary colonel or something of the kind, did you not?’

Lieutenant Grainger stared at him doubtfully. ‘I believe he is our Colonel in Chief. He seems knowledgeable enough.’

‘In his way, perhaps,’ Andrew said. ‘I have been meaning to ask you, Grainger. Would you happen to know the whereabouts of Lieutenant William Gordon?’

‘Forgive me. I’m not perfectly certain whom you mean?’ The younger man seemed hesitant, a little uneasy, then, ‘There was a lieutenant of that name with us in Spain, I believe, but I thought he resigned his commission after being reprimanded a few times … but why you should think I might know him is beyond me. I was not acquainted with him.’

‘Then you will have no idea where he is now? I was hoping to find him in Naples, but it came to nothing. For the time being, I must continue my search.’ He glanced towards the room behind them, which was now brightly lit. ‘I think Lady Hubert is looking for us, Mariah. I dare say dinner is ready—and she may wish to close these doors. The insects will invade the house now that the candles have been lit.’

‘Yes, we must go in,’ Mariah said and arched her right eyebrow at Andrew. ‘I believe you are to sit on my right hand this evening, Lord Lanchester.’

Lieutenant Grainger had gone in just ahead of them. Mariah grabbed Andrew’s arm, lowering her voice to a whisper.

‘Why did Lieutenant Grainger look at you so oddly when you mentioned that officer—Lieutenant Gordon?’

‘I have no idea,’ Andrew replied. ‘I should not have mentioned Gordon in his hearing had I known it would upset him.’

‘There is a mystery. I know it.’ Mariah’s eyes mocked him. His secrecy had set her on her mettle for he knew that she liked a challenge. ‘I shall get it out of you, Andrew—just see if I don’t.’

He smiled and shook his head. She had seemed low in spirits that morning, but now she was the old Mariah. At times she aroused his protective instincts and he was inclined to throw caution to the winds and snap her up as his wife before someone else did, but then, when she was in a teasing mood, he wondered if they would not be at each other’s throats in a fortnight. As a girl she had been very provoking, a nuisance, following a fellow about and wanting attention when he had better things to do. Mind you, when he thought of it, she had always been ready to go fishing or to play the fielder in ball games. A boisterous, bold girl whose reckless behaviour had landed them all in trouble more than once, for what was a chap to do but take the blame when Farmer Johnson’s bull had got in amongst the young heifers when Mariah left the gate open.

He could not contemplate the idea of her married to a rascal, but marriage was a big commitment. Andrew knew that once he made it he would not stray; it would be a union for life and he must therefore be sure of his feelings before making an offer to any woman.

Besides, there was still the faint cloud of suspicion hanging over him. Unless he could prove his innocence to his commanding officer, he might be formally charged with the theft. Someone had taken the silver while he was the duty officer in charge of such things. He had not been expected to actually guard the valuable treasures, which lived in a locked cabinet in a locked room, but that it should happen on his watch was bad enough. The letter pointing the finger at him was an added complication and one that had given him many uneasy moments.

Major Henderson had suggested that his enemy might be Lieutenant Gordon, but there was no proof that he had even been in England at the time. Besides, why wait all this time to strike against Andrew? It did not make sense to his way of thinking.

‘Something is worrying you,’ Mariah said as they entered the dining room. ‘Won’t you tell me, Andrew? I promise not to plague you if it is important. I am not an unruly girl now. I can be sensible, you know.’

‘Yes, of course you can,’ he said, wrenching his thoughts away from his problem. He caught the smell of her soft perfume and felt desire stir in his loins. In that moment he wanted her badly. She was a beautiful woman and intriguing. If he could simply bed her and make her his mistress there would be no problem as far as she was concerned, but that was impossible. She was a lady and deserved his respect. ‘I think you like Lieutenant Grainger. I have no reason to think him other than he seems—but be careful, Mariah. For your own sake, trust only those you truly know.’

‘Very well.’ Mariah looked into his eyes. ‘I have reason to be grateful to him—he prevented me from coming upon a rock fall earlier today and warned me to change direction. However, I am sure that caution is best. You shall advise me.’

Alone in her room later that evening, Mariah let her various conversations with Andrew drift through her mind as she prepared for bed. He had talked animatedly of their friends at home and of the beautiful scenery. Of Lieutenant Grainger he had not spoken one word after his warning to her.

She puzzled over his reticence. Lieutenant Grainger had seemed embarrassed when a certain officer had been mentioned. Why had Andrew introduced the subject of the other officer and why should it make the younger man uncomfortable?

Andrew had followed them outside deliberately. Why had he done that? Was it to protect her from a man he was not certain of or … surely he could not be jealous because Mariah had been enjoying his company?

What had brought Andrew to Italy—and what was bothering him? She was certain that he was very worried about something, but did not know what it might be. Could he possibly have financial troubles? Was that why he had come—to ask her to marry him, because he needed money?